After running for more than 28 years, One Piece has featured over 30 arcs, some of which didn’t get the attention they deserved. As an action shonen, One Piece blends its intense dark lore with goofy themes, creating a perfect masterpiece that we see now. Almost everything featured in the story, even the tiniest and most random things, connects at some point and contributes to the overarching plot. However, that doesn’t mean fans will always love every single arc the series has to offer, regardless of how good they may be. The majority of the One Piece fandom relies on thrilling battle scenes to enjoy a story arc or a Saga, which could explain why the Long Ring Long Land Arc is so underrated, even after more than two decades.
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The Long Ring Long Land arc is entertaining, to say the least. By using nonsensical comedy, the arc captures the true essence of the series in its purest form. It also introduces Aokiji for the first time and is simply a refreshing way to commence the Water 7 Saga, one of the best sagas of the series to date. Even so, apart from Aokiji’s introduction, the series doesn’t delve deeper into the lore or feature intense battles, which is why many fans consider it almost a filler arc. Luckily, the latest arc of the Final Saga proves why the Long Ring Long Land Arc is crucial to the story, giving this underrated arc the attention it deserves.
The Most Notorious Pirate Crew in History Was Formed Thanks to a Davy Back Fight
The Long Ring Long Land Arc introduces Foxy the Silver Fox and his Foxy Pirates, who challenge Luffy and his crew to a Davy Back Fight. It’s a traditional pirate game that’s still being held in the Grand Line as a way to pay homage to the legendary pirate Davy Jones. Since One Piece hasn’t revealed from which era Davy Jones belonged, he is often considered a myth or legend. Although his story has been lost in the annals of history, his name lives on to this day.
Two opposing pirate crews engage in a set of unique games or battles by putting their members on the line. The losing crew will have to give up any crew member the winners want. According to the latest Chapter 1155 of One Piece, Rocks D. Xebec, the most notorious pirate to have ever lived, formed his crew using the Davy Back Fight. This happened after Xebec created the worst chaos in the history of Reverie. He kidnapped five kings, infiltrated the Flower Room, and tried to strike a deal with Imu before killing an Admiral. He also clashed swords with Harald, which blew away everyone within a five-kilometer radius.
After the Admiral’s death, Xebec got a hefty bounty on his head and roamed across the sea as a pirate. Even after getting new allies through Davy Back Fight, he didn’t form his official pirate crew until later. The allies he gained through the traditional game, including Whitbeard, Shiki, Stussy, Kaido, Big Mom, and many more, would turn out to be some of the most important figures in the New World.
One Piece Is Finally Delving Deeper Into Xebec’s Past
The ongoing Elbaf Arc features Harald’s backstory from the time he was a reckless youth and his journey to becoming the greatest king Elbaf has ever seen. We also see Xebec’s face for the first time, and it resembles Blackbeard’s, his son. Xebec was first mentioned in Chapter 957 as the strongest opponent Roger and Garp ever faced. Xebec was a key figure during the God Valley Incident, but after he was defeated, his crew was disbanded, and his legend died there as well. Even though Kuma’s backstory featured glimpses at the God Valley Incident through his POV, we still didn’t find out anything about the pirate.
The World Government wouldn’t want the public to keep remembering someone as dangerous as him. Because he also knew parts about the history and the current situation of the world, little to no information about him remained in the world. Only a select few senior Marine Officers remember him, and only Sengoku was willing to share his story. But he also excluded a majority of things related to the legendary pirate. The backstory not only formally introduces the pirate, but we will now learn the history behind the formation of the Rocks Pirate.
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